9 Turkish lawmakers test positive for COVID-19 - parliamentary speaker

At least 9 Turkish lawmakers and 35 parliamentary staff have contracted the COVID-19 disease so far, Mustafa Şentop -- the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey -- told reporters on Thursday during a press conference in the capital Ankara.

Some of the infected deputies have been receiving COVID-19 treatment at the hospital, Şentop added as making comments to media outlets.

ANY FLAW IN PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM CAN BE FIXED

Any flaw in Turkey's presidential system can be fixed by making some changes in the constitution and laws, the country's parliament head said.

"If any flaw appears in the presidential system, some changes can be made both in the constitution and in the laws," Şentop told reporters in the parliament.

"This is very natural," Şentop added.

The parliament speaker, however, said objections to the presidential system are not correct.

Şentop's remarks came after opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Good Party (IYI) called on the Turkish president to return to the parliamentary system.

Turkish voters opted to shift to a presidential system in an April 2017 referendum. In June 2018, Erdoğan was re-elected president, Turkey's first president under the new system.